There presently exists a number of continuous-form electrophotographic printers. However, one of the perplexing problems is to be able to provide such a continuous-form electrophotographic printer that is capable of printing continuous-forms having various sheet length sizes without damaging the printing when movement of the continuous-form is stopped and then restarted.
Generally, the continuous-form electrophotographic printers are constructed so that the image fixing station is spaced downstream from the image transfer station by the standard sheet length, such as eleven inches. Consequently, the spacing between the image transfer station and the image fixing station is dependent upon the standard length of the sheets forming the continuous-form. Such equal length spacing enables both the image transfer device and the fuser device to be positioned in "no print zones" over a leading edge or perforations when movement is stopped. Otherwise, the heat from the fuser would damage unfused images in the zone between the image transfer device and the fuser device. Upon restarting, the damaged sheet will proceed with the flow without the controlling computer being cognizant that one of the sheets is damaged. When damaged sheet is finally discovered provisions must be made to print a new sheet with undamaged printing.
As mentioned, the present arrangement of the spacing being equal to the sheet length works quite well for a standard page or sheet length, but causes damage to sheets of a continuous-form that is not of a standard length.
One suggestion to overcome such a problem is to provide an electrophotographic printer in which the spacing between the image transfer station and the image fixing station is adustable to vary the distance therebetween to equal the length of the sheet of the continuous-form. Such a solution is rather expensive in that it requires very accurate and complicated support systems for being able to support and adjustably move one or both of the device.
One of the advantages of this invention is to provide a continuous-form electrophotographic printer that is capable of printing various length sheets of a continuous-form without having to move the image transfer station or the image fixing station relative to each other to prevent damage.
These and other obvious advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment.